Heretofore, it is known, in for example, a beverage or ice unit or dispenser to have a freeze portion or chamber provided with compressed refrigerant which is discharged from a compressor, then sent through a condenser, and an expansion valve to provide cold refrigerant to form ice or semi-frozen beverage in the freeze portions or chambers. For packaging reasons and/or ease of replacement, the freeze portion or chamber is part of a “foam pack.” That is, one or more freeze portions or chambers is encircled or surrounded by refrigerant lines, encased in foam insulation, and generally further enclosing the freeze chamber and its refrigeration lines and surrounding foam in a protective metal box or casing. The latter protective casing is generally formed of non-rusting material, such as aluminum or stainless steel. While such foam pack freeze chambers are successful, they have had the disadvantage of causing moisture and humidity to collect on the cold foam pack, and particularly its protective outer metal surface. Thus, humidity due to the low temperature may collect into droplets which can fall from the foam pack upon other components, such as electrical components, causing damage to such components, and can require additional maintenance. The condensate can also cause corrosion and loss of electrical continuity, shorting, component damage and water collecting on the floor. Typically, attempts to manage condensate have required a drip pan, a drain line and additional maintenance of the same.
A rule of thumb in the refrigeration is that the condenser is responsible for removing the heat off the hot gas refrigerant (coming from the compressor), while the liquid leaving the condenser can be sub-cooled further either in a liquid to suction heat exchanger or through external means. While it is known to use the hot gas from the compressor, as for example, in residential refrigerators to keep the surfaces around the freezer door warm and prevent freezing of the magnetic seals, usually this is just a small diverted refrigerant flow and that the capacity/mass flow of this refrigeration door system is typically small, hence needs to use the highest enthalpy media (hot gas).
While using hot gas from the compressor and before the condenser has the advantage that the gas is in its highest energy state (highest enthalpy) and temperature, it also has disadvantages. If, for example, such hot gas was used in the dispenser foam pack as there is limited surface area (in the foam pack to dissipate heat) for the full capacity/mass flow of the refrigeration system, in such instance, too much heat would be passed through the foam pack. Therefore, some of the excess heat would heat the evaporator coils and reduce performance, and is absolutely not desired.